River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-06-02
\ SOUTHERN SCOUT.

ment- Of the Federal army, and report
81 o. Confederate officer. Il was 8
wonder 10 the people Of the North how
Southern generals. particularly those o.
the Armys Of Northern Virginia. -
cured so much accurate information re
garding the Federal army. While it i.
true that much l. due To the defensiv,
warfare. il was mostly due to infor
nation secured by scouts. General
Lee absolutely regarded General
Sturt'~ scouts as the eyes and ears of
the army. and seldom did it happen
that hc was without available intelli-
geuce regarding the position. number
IF the army in his front. and often the
probable direction Of movement and
point Of attack The Southern scout
was ever on the flank or I'm the rear of
the Federal army, and slept not until he
was satisfied "a, To- the intent Of the
general commanding He could
forecast contemplated advance days
ahead with IL much accuracy a. if he
had written the order requiring If. A
sudden hustle IN camp. the cooking Of
r1tiou~ ahead, the i>suingOf guartermas-
ter or commi->iary supplies, the arriv-
Al aud departure of courierS at different
headgulrter, with UnuSal frequency.
were JIl significant occurrences to the
Southern scout. and he was near by
day and night. observing them.
have known one Of our scouts for DAYS
in succession a. hold under his eve the
movements of Federal general until
satisfied a. to his intentions.
No detective ever >hddowed a sus-
piciou~ character with greater vigilance
than Southern scouts have the head
quarters 81 Federal generals. Stuart :
scouts performed duties Of three kinds
obs, rviug the Federal army in camp.
20 a. fo be- able To anticipate a move
meut; hanging upon the flank Of the
army when IN motion, reporting line
Of march and number of corps, and
crossing the lines into Washington
city and beyond bearing dispatches.
interviewing certain parties and secur-
iug information.
The same scouts often discharged the
first and second mentioned duties. but
few ever went into Washington city.
a college mate. Who now sleeps beneath
the sod of the Mi--i-~ippi Valley. and
myself were perhaps among the few
who not only secuted within our lines.
but who We're also frequently sent by
President Davis and our general officers
into Washington AMI once into Canada.
In the carlv part Of the war MeSsrs.
Mason and Slitell were sent Ia Europe
To secure. among other things. loan
to the Confederate Government. Ii
was secured and two gentlemen were
sent back 20 couSumm1te the arrange
meut / was ordered to meet them in
Washington city and pilot them
through the lines To Richmond. had
lived in Washington from 1851 until
lS6l
I knew the city thoroughly. Well
do ! recall the feelings which thrilled
me when ordered 10 report 10 Rich
moud. for my regiment of cavalry was
then Co the front. 20 receive Instructions
for the pcrilou- trip. Young. ambi-
etious. eager for am occasion To show
my patriotic devotion 10 the .'Sunny
South. ready. If necessary, to die for
Dixie. Nv horse could not travel
fast enough in taking me to Richmond.
Mcreeuary troops could form no con
ccption Of The patriotic impulses that
impeIled the Young men of the South
ia serving I'm the Confederate army.
They cared not for pay or position,
whether thev were privates or officers
Their great desire was To be found in
the forefront. facing. with contemptu-
ou~ air. the hated foe that dared To i'll
wade the homes Of their fathers. The
following WIS gwen me. dictated by
myself.
WAR DEPARTMENT. RICHMOND, VA
The beIrrr who may ba known 10y a cash
IN his tongue and a scar upon the index
finger uf his lssft hand has tue confidence 81
this department
In presenting this pass had only TO
extend ms toa2u, and finger and pass
ou without giving my name or answer
iug "a question. Ii the pass should be
los IS one els. could uSe il unless he
ga~hed his tongue and Scared his
finger.
kept four >uit~-one the uniform Of
"a Confederate officer. one the suit II a
civilian. ouc i Yankee chdpltin'> uni-
form. and one my scouting suit. l
used them II occasion required In
going g.. @ Washington / Wore my
citizens suit. cut nv whiskers a in
Burnside @tvlc. purchased the latest
>tyIe Northern shoe. and exchanged
plug tobacco for '.>hort eat. These
precautions were very nee, ~>ary. much
more - than would first appear. The
detectives If Washington city could
tell 4 Southern made shoe a. soon n
their trained eve fell upon 1t. Virgin
iau~ and Mary handlers were accustomed
10 wear lnnx boards and chew plug
tobacco. To avoid arrest required
the utmost care. Thus equipped. |
mounted .-.Iim Crow. my scouting
horse ami started for the Potomac
Upon reaching il crossed in boat
belonging Ia the Signal Service and
landed on the Maryland shore about
twenty miles below Washington Be
inc familiar with the country and people
went into the interior. avoiding
scouting parties and soon headed for
Washington I walked all night and
conct tIed myself i'm the woods all day.
Thou-i my father and his family then
lived upon my line of march in Mary
land | did not let him know of my
movements or presence. When neal
the city / hired a horse from a friend
who kept "A country hotel and rode into
the city. On my arrival l stopped at 3
hotel usually frequented by the country
people and hucksterS and passed a> on'
Of them.
After nightfall l called upon my
-isujs and told them the object Of my
visit Upon this. my first trip,
promptly inspected the registers Of tbs
leading hotels TO ascertain if my foreign
friends had reached the city. I sOOT
learned they were AT Wizards Hotel
anNi0uSly awaiting me With steady
step aud smiling face l walked 70
livery stable. called haekman and or
dered him 10 drive me 20 Willard
Hotel. Upon reaching the hotel pres
sed my way through Yankee officer
ard talking Congressman Ia the hOte
register. aScertained the number of tn
room Of my foreign friends and request
ed the clerk 10 have me shown to No